content-pillar-strategy

name	content-pillar-strategy
description	Designs a content pillar framework with 3-5 core pillars, sub-topics, and a 90-day content mapping plan. Use when building a structured content strategy from scratch or overhauling an unfocused one.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Content Pillar Strategy

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Define 3-5 core content pillars for a brand or business
• Map sub-topics under each pillar for consistent content creation
• Build a 90-day content calendar tied to strategic pillars
• Organize a scattered content approach into a focused system

DO NOT use this skill for writing individual content pieces, social media calendars (use social-media-calendar skill), or SEO keyword research. This is for high-level content strategy architecture.

---

Core Principle

CONTENT PILLARS EXIST TO MAKE CONTENT DECISIONS FASTER — IF EVERY PIECE OF CONTENT YOU CREATE DOES NOT FIT INTO A PILLAR, THE STRATEGY IS BROKEN.

---

Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Business / brand	"What does your business do and who do you serve?"	No default — must be provided
Content goal	"What is the business goal of your content? Leads, brand awareness, sales, community?"	Lead generation
Current content	"What content are you already producing? What's working and what's not?"	Starting from scratch
Audience	"Describe your ideal reader/viewer in detail."	Solopreneurs and small business owners
Platforms	"Where do you publish? Blog, social, email, podcast, YouTube?"	Blog + 1 social platform
Publishing capacity	"How many pieces of content can you realistically produce per week?"	3 pieces per week

GATE: Confirm brief before building pillar framework.

---

Phase 2: Outline

Pillar Framework Structure

## Content Pillar Framework

**Pillar 1:** [Name] — [One-sentence description]
  - Sub-topic A
  - Sub-topic B
  - Sub-topic C
  - Sub-topic D

**Pillar 2:** [Name] — [One-sentence description]
  - Sub-topic A
  - Sub-topic B
  ...

**Pillar 3:** [Name] — [One-sentence description]
  ...

**Content mix ratio:** [e.g., 40% Pillar 1 / 30% Pillar 2 / 30% Pillar 3]

Pillar Selection Criteria

Each pillar must pass all three tests:

1. Audience demand — your audience actively searches for or engages with this topic
2. Business alignment — content in this pillar moves readers closer to your product/service
3. Creator authority — you have genuine expertise or experience to share on this topic

GATE: Present pillars and sub-topics for approval before building the 90-day plan.

---

Phase 3: Write

Deliverable 1: Pillar Deep-Dive

For each pillar, provide:

## Pillar [N]: [Name]

**Description:** [2-3 sentence explanation of what this pillar covers and why it matters]
**Audience question it answers:** "[Specific question your audience has]"
**Business connection:** [How this pillar leads toward your product/service]

### Sub-Topics (8-12 per pillar)
1. [Sub-topic] — [content format suggestion: blog, video, carousel, etc.]
2. [Sub-topic] — [content format suggestion]
...

### Sample Content Ideas (3 per pillar)
- "[Specific headline or title]" — [format] — [which platform]
- "[Specific headline or title]" — [format] — [which platform]
- "[Specific headline or title]" — [format] — [which platform]

Deliverable 2: 90-Day Content Map

Build a week-by-week content plan for 12 weeks:

## 90-Day Content Map

### Week 1
- [Day]: [Pillar] — "[Content title]" — [Format] — [Platform]
- [Day]: [Pillar] — "[Content title]" — [Format] — [Platform]
- [Day]: [Pillar] — "[Content title]" — [Format] — [Platform]

### Week 2
...

Content Map Rules

Rule	Detail
Pillar rotation	No single pillar dominates more than 2 consecutive pieces
Format variety	Mix formats within each pillar (blog, social, email, video)
Cornerstone content	Each pillar gets 1 long-form cornerstone piece in the first 30 days
Repurposing	Mark 1-2 pieces per week that can be repurposed into another format
Capacity check	Do not exceed the user's stated publishing capacity

Deliverable 3: Content Decision Filter

Provide a simple test for evaluating future content ideas:

## Content Decision Filter

Before creating any piece of content, it must pass these 3 questions:

1. Which pillar does this belong to? (If none → don't create it)
2. What action does this move the reader toward? (If none → don't create it)
3. Can I produce this at quality within my current capacity? (If no → table it)

---

Phase 4: Polish

1. Strategy Checklist

## Content Pillar Strategy Checklist

- [ ] 3-5 pillars defined with clear descriptions
- [ ] Each pillar passes the demand + alignment + authority test
- [ ] 8-12 sub-topics per pillar
- [ ] Content mix ratio defined
- [ ] 90-day content map is complete (12 weeks)
- [ ] Content does not exceed stated publishing capacity
- [ ] Each pillar has 1 cornerstone piece in the first 30 days
- [ ] Repurposing opportunities are flagged
- [ ] Content decision filter is included
- [ ] Strategy is specific to the user's platforms and audience

2. Measurement Framework

Suggest KPIs for each pillar:

• Traffic metrics (views, sessions)
• Engagement metrics (shares, saves, comments)
• Conversion metrics (leads, sign-ups, sales attributed)

---

Example: Content Pillars for a Freelance Business Coach

Pillar 1: Getting Clients (40%)
- Sub-topics: cold outreach, referrals, LinkedIn, proposals, pricing
- Cornerstone: "The Complete Guide to Landing Your First 10 Clients"

Pillar 2: Doing the Work (30%)
- Sub-topics: project management, client communication, scope creep, tools
- Cornerstone: "How I Manage 5 Client Projects Without a Team"

Pillar 3: Building the Business (30%)
- Sub-topics: pricing, finances, scaling, hiring, systems
- Cornerstone: "From Freelancer to Agency: The Decision Framework"

---

Anti-Patterns

• Too many pillars — more than 5 pillars means you lack focus. If everything is a pillar, nothing is.
• Pillars with no business connection — content that entertains but never leads to revenue is a hobby, not a strategy.
• Overlapping sub-topics — if the same article could fit under 2 pillars, your pillars are not distinct enough. Redraw the boundaries.
• 90-day plan that ignores capacity — planning 5 pieces per week when the user can produce 2 sets them up to fail. Match the plan to reality.
• No cornerstone content — pillars without a flagship piece lack an anchor. Build the cornerstone first.

---

Recovery

• Cannot pick pillars: List 10 topic ideas they have energy for. Group them into clusters. The clusters become pillars.
• Too many sub-topics: Prioritize by audience demand. The top 8-10 per pillar go in the plan; the rest go in a backlog.
• Capacity is 1 post per week: Reduce to 3 pillars, rotate weekly, and focus on long-form cornerstone pieces that can be repurposed.
• Existing content is all over the place: Audit what exists, tag each piece to a proposed pillar, and identify which pillar is most underserved.
• Pillar feels forced: Drop it. Better to have 3 strong pillars than 5 where 2 feel like obligations.